Sign Language for Toddlers: Keep Signing Even as They Start to Talk

There is a lot going on during toddler development.  They are learning independence, putting words together to make phrases and sentences, they are learning how to regulate their big feelings, and so much more.  

Signs support development in all of these area. 

Many challenging behaviors happen because children don't yet have an effective way to communicate. Sign language provides one.

Here's something many people outside the speech-language therapy world don't realize: Even toddlers who are meeting every milestone can be hard to understand.

Signs reinforce the spoken words you toddler class is just starting to learn.

Language is an abstract skill. We use all these different sounds, we put sounds together to make words, and those words have meaning.  And we have to do this all auditorily! That's hard for multilingual learners and late talkers. 

Signs add an additional layer of multi-sensory learning, basically when you pair a word with a sign, you make that abstract concept more visually concrete.  

One thing to note: Signs support talking, but they aren't a substitute for monitoring spoken language overall. By 24 months, children should use at least 50 spoken words and begin combining two words together.

A toddler who signs happily but isn't adding spoken words over time or who is well past two with only a handful of words is a child worth discussing with your director and the family, because an early intervention evaluation may be an appropriate next step.

One of the most common questions I get is:  "Which signs should I start with?"

Notice what's not on this list: colors, shapes, letters.

Toddlers learn through repetition, routines, and play—not flashcards or drills. Here are tips for teaching signs to your toddler class.

Say and Sign

The best part about signing with toddlers is that you don't add anything to your schedule, you just fold signs into the moments you're already living:

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Not every toddler is going to pick up signs at the same time, and that is completely fine. Some children imitate signs within a day or two, others will watch you for weeks or months before they try. Neither is a problem.  You may also see sign approximations.

A sign approximation is when a toddler's "more" might look like clapping, or tapping their fists together, or one general hand movement toward the snack bowl. A sign doesn't have to look "correct" to count! If they're using it consistently to mean "more," it's a signed word!  

Just like we accept "wawa" for water, we accept a child's sign approximation while continuing to model the adult version ourselves. Their hands will refine over time, the same way their speech does.

If you'd love a clear, doable way to start signing with your toddlers, which signs to use, how to model them, and how to weave them into your day, this IACET approved training is for you!

No. Research consistently shows that sign language does not delay speech or language development. In fact, spoken words typically appear within a few months of a child learning the sign. The key is always saying the word while you sign.

No. Most early childhood programs use individual ASL signs paired with spoken English. You're borrowing vocabulary, not teaching a full language, so you only need to learn the signs you'll actually use.

No. Respond to the communication itself and keep modeling the correct version yourself. Sign approximations are just like word approximations—consistency from you does the correcting over time.